Elevated Life Academy

In this heartfelt and eye-opening episode, we sit down with Candace Rutkowski, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Registered Play Therapist Supervisor based in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. With over 12 years in the field and a deep-rooted passion for working with children, Candace shares how she found her calling in helping the youngest among us—babies through age 12—and their caregivers. Can...

In this powerful episode, we sit down with Agne Paceviciute , the visionary founder of Quantum Healing based in Sweden. Agne’s story is one of resilience, awakening, and transformation. After years of seeking answers through traditional therapy and self-discovery, she experienced a profound spiritual awakening that changed everything. But what came next was even more extraordinary: the realization...

In this powerful and deeply personal episode, we sit down with Tania Rose —a psychotherapist, art therapist, and clinical supervisor based in Australia with over 30 years of experience in disability and mental health spaces. Tania shares her journey as a late-diagnosed autistic woman with ADHD , and how her lived experience fuels her passion for supporting neurodivergent individuals, especially th...

In this heartfelt and thought-provoking episode, we sit down with Tony Victor, a passionate and seasoned couples counselor based in Southern Illinois, just outside St. Louis. Tony shares the powerful story behind his calling to work exclusively with couples—a path rooted in his own childhood experiences of witnessing constant conflict in a home where love was present, but peace was elusive. Tony o...

What if the key to unlocking deep emotional healing isn’t in talking, but in where you look? In this episode, we sit down with Cindy Smith , a pioneering brainspotting practitioner based in Boulder, Colorado, who’s been helping people regulate their nervous systems and reconnect with themselves since 2008. Cindy’s journey is anything but linear—and that’s exactly what makes it powerful. From being...

In this episode, we dive into the heart of leadership with executive coach and licensed therapist Rivka Geoghegan . Rivka has worked extensively with Silicon Valley professionals and leaders, helping them navigate workplace challenges that often stem from internal blind spots. Her unique approach blends psychology and coaching, guiding individuals to bridge the gap between their personal identity...

In this episode, we sit down with Patrice Flannagan-Morris, a trailblazing mental health professional from Wisconsin, who shares her inspiring journey from agency work to building a thriving group mental health practice. With a team of seven clinicians, her practice offers a diverse range of services, including individual and couples counseling and community workshops, all designed to challenge th...

In this episode, we sit down with Brittany Bagy, a St. Louis-based therapist, private practice owner, and mother of three. Brittany shares the real, unfiltered journey of running a thriving mental health practice while navigating the complexities of motherhood, marriage, and personal growth. With expertise in brainspotting, Brittany helps clients move through anxiety, grief, and life transitions—w...

Have you ever dreamed of running your own private practice but felt unsure about taking the leap? In this episode, we sit down with Vanessa Brugge, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Board Certified Behavior Analyst, and Certified Yoga Therapist, to hear how she made the bold move into private practice after decades in a large behavioral health organization. Vanessa shares how she went from envisi...

In this episode with Gabby Palamino, a Latina entrepreneur, therapist, and mother who took a bold leap of faith to build her private practice during the uncertainty of COVID. Gabby shares her journey of starting with just one private pay client—only to feel overwhelmed by fear. When she became pregnant, her perspective on work and family shifted, leading her and her spouse to reimagine their lives...

In this episode, we sit down with Michelle Petty, a play therapist and Brainspotting practitioner, to explore her journey from early intervention and attachment work to becoming a successful business owner. Michelle shares how her achievement-driven mindset and task-oriented nature initially made it difficult for her to take big risks—until a deep Brainspotting session revealed a powerful metaphor...

In this episode, we explore the transformative power of art with Ardenna, an inspiring advocate for creative healing. Ardenna shares her deeply personal story of loss and resilience, starting with the death of her mother just before her 17th birthday and her grandfather when she was only 9. Growing up, she found herself surrounded by people who didn’t know how to process grief—and she didn’t under...

In this powerful episode, we sit down with Michelle Dyett-Welcome, a compassionate guide for men navigating the challenging path of recovery from sexual addiction and for the women who’ve been impacted by betrayal trauma. Michelle shares her unique approach to helping individuals reconnect with their integrity, self-compassion, and wholeness through Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy. Topics Co...

In this episode we dive into the world of mindfulness and movement with Addie DeHilster, a mindfulness meditation teacher and movement specialist. For over 25 years, Addie has relied on these practices to navigate the ever-changing seasons of life. From her early days as a college student in a high-pressure performance environment to her role as a teacher helping others access the benefits of embo...

In this inspiring episode we sit down with Chris McDonald, a yogi and therapist on a mission to revolutionize how mental health professionals approach healing. Chris brings her unique perspective as a former school counselor of 16 years, where she first discovered the limitations of traditional therapy with anxious students. Her journey of self-discovery and reinvention has led her to embrace holi...

In this episode, we sit down with Lauren Auer, a dedicated healer whose journey began in the criminal justice field, working with juvenile offenders and their families. Her work extended to counseling survivors of sexual abuse and assault at a rape crisis center, where she gained firsthand experience with vicarious trauma. Lauren’s insights reveal the profound layers of trauma and the need for pro...

Join us for an inspiring conversation with Diane Poole Heller , a leading voice in trauma resolution and attachment theory. In this episode, Diane shares how our connections can be disrupted and gives powerful insights on how we can repair and restore our connections. She highlights the transformative power of attachment work, showing how experiential healing can guide us back to secure and meanin...

Episode Summary: In this episode, we dive into the science of manifesting with our guest, an Irish neuroscientist, author, and former actress. She shares her journey from TV to neuroscience, where she discovered ways to prevent dementia and educate the public on brain health. Now, she’s using her expertise to teach people how to harness their brains for manifesting and reaching their highest poten...

In this episode, we dive deep into a transformative conversation with Rachel Kaplan, a seasoned psychotherapist from California and author of the insightful and humor-infused book Feel, Heal, and Let That Shit Go! Rachel opens up about her personal healing journey that began at the tender age of 14, following the traumatic loss of her first love. She shares how that experience catapulted her into...

In this episode, we dive deep into the transformative power of the subconscious mind with Jessica Maitri, creator of the Yothera Method. Jessica’s unique 3-phase modality helps professionals guide themselves and their clients through a profound healing process. Jessica explains the three phases of transformation: The Mind – Getting clear on the old story that holds us back. This phase involves unc...

In this powerful and enlightening episode, we sit down with Michelle Gaza, an IFS coach with a transformative journey that has shaped her unique approach to healing. Michelle's story begins in the world of Ashtanga yoga, where she first encountered the limitations of traditional practices in addressing deep emotional trauma. Faced with depression and suicidal ideation during her college years, Mic...

In this episode of Elevated Life Academy, host Cherie Lindberg sits down with Paula Scatoloni, a seasoned psychotherapist and somatic practitioner! Paula shares her journey from traditional psychotherapy to somatic experiencing and body-based therapies, highlighting the profound impact of understanding how trauma is stored in the body. She opens up about innovative healing methods, including the u...

Get a glimpse into the inspiring world of Daniel Hostetler’s Above and Beyond program, where compassion meets innovation. Discover how Daniel's groundbreaking approach in Chicago turns lives around by transforming crises into opportunities for connection and healing. At 73, he’s not just reshaping mental health care but redefining what it means to truly support someone. Hear firsthand how his uniq...

In this episode, Erin and Lucas Brewer discuss their drive to be healers and the profound power of art, bottom-up therapy approaches, and somatic therapy, inviting listeners to slow down and connect with the innate wisdom of their bodies. They illuminate the transformative magic that occurs when we bridge the gap between academic theory and real-world healing, stressing the importance of tuning in...

In a heartfelt conversation, Cherie and Paul Lindberg open up about their 35-year marriage journey, sharing how they've transformed challenges into opportunities for growth. From early life and marital struggles to finding harmony through tools like Imago Dialogue and Brainspotting, they share how these methods became essential to their connection in their relationship. Their honesty about overcom...